Disaster victim identification using dental records — Experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake

This paper reports basic methods of victim identification actually used in the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011. In this disaster, it was proved that dental identification is very effective compared with other biometric identification methods such as fingerprint/palmprint identification and DNA-based identification. We designed and implemented a workflow of dental identification in close cooperation with Miyagi Prefectural Police and Miyagi Dental Association. We also discuss the possibility of advanced techniques for disaster victim identification using dental radiographs and CTs.